Earring

ABSTRACT

A jewelry item including a body, a locking bar provided at one end of the body with a locking groove, and a locker provided at the other end with an insert groove and an internal hinge post. A locking release button is mounted within the locker and rotatable around the internal hinge post. The release button has a first end for engagement of the locking groove and a second pressing end protruding out of the locker. A spring is mounted about the internal hinge post. When the first end of the release button is received within the locking groove in a closed position and the pressing end is depressed, the first end of the release button is rotated against the elastic spring force and the locking bar is decoupled from the locker into an open position.

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/339,586, filed on Dec. 19, 2008, which claims the benefit of priorityfrom Korean Patent Application No. 10-2008-0113700, filed on Nov. 15,2008, the entirety of which are incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an earring. More particularly, thepresent invention relates to an earring capable of easily performing thelocking/unlocking operation of coupling parts and improving an aestheticappearance of the earring.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, accessories are classified into necklaces, bracelets,anklelets, and earrings, which are wound on necks, arms, legs of a humanbody or worn on ears in order to exhibit individual preferences orcharacters in combination with dresses. The accessory is diverselydesigned according to the user's taste and preference and is on sale inthe market.

This accessory is manufactured by connecting various types of jewels toeach other using one wire.

This accessory is provided at a final coupling point thereof withcoupling parts, and the user can wear the accessory on the user's bodyby coupling the coupling parts to each other. Especially, since thecoupling parts of an earring are inserted into earlobes, which are theweakest parts of the body, the coupling parts should be manufacturedprecisely and the coupling/decoupling operation thereof must befacilitated.

However, the coupling/decoupling operation of the conventional earringis very difficult and the coupling parts are excessively exposed to theexterior, so that an aesthetic appearance of the earring may bedeteriorated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve theabove-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art, and an object ofthe present invention is to provide an earring capable of easilyperforming the locking/unlocking operation of coupling parts andimproving an aesthetic appearance of the earring.

In order to accomplish the above object, according to one aspect of thepresent invention, there is provided an earring including an earringbody, a locking bar provided at one end of the earring body and formedwith a locking groove, and a locker provided at the other end of theearring body to be selectively locked with the locking bar, wherein thelocker is formed with an insert groove into which the locking bar isinserted, the insert groove is provided at an inside thereof with alocking protrusion, which is elastically locked with the locking grooveof the locking bar by a spring, a locking release button for releasingthe locking of the locking protrusion is positioned adjacent to thelocking protrusion while protruding out of the locker, the springincludes a compression spring and the locking protrusion is adapted tolock with the locking groove of the locking bar while performing astraight movement in a state in which the locking protrusion iselastically supported to the spring.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is providedan earring including an earring body, a locking bar provided at one endof the earring body and formed with a locking groove, and a lockerprovided at the other end of the earring body to be selectively lockedwith the locking bar, wherein the locker is formed with an insert grooveinto which the locking bar is inserted, the insert groove is provided atan inside thereof with a locking protrusion, which is elastically lockedwith the locking groove of the locking bar by a spring, a lockingrelease button for releasing the locking of the locking protrusion ispositioned adjacent to the locking protrusion while protruding out ofthe locker, the spring includes a torsion spring and the lockingprotrusion is rotated in the insert groove about a hinge and adapted tolock with the locking groove of the locking bar while performing arotational motion in a state in which the locking protrusion iselastically supported to the spring.

As mentioned above, the earring according to the present invention caneasily perform the locking/unlocking operation of coupling parts andimprove an aesthetic appearance of the earring.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of thepresent invention will be more clearly understood from the followingdetailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an earring according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an unlocking state of an earringaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a locking state of an earringaccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a front view showing an earring according to another exemplaryembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a locking state of an earringaccording to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing an operational state of a lockingrelease button shown in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing an unlocking state of an earring.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an earring according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view showingan unlocking state of the earring according to an exemplary embodimentof the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing alocking state of the earring according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the earring 100 according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present includes coupling parts 110 and 120, which areprovided at both ends of an earring body 100′, respectively.

In detail, the earring body 100′ is provided at one end thereof with alocking bar 110 having a locking groove 111. In addition, the earringbody 100′ is also provided at the other end thereof with a locker 120,which is selectively locked with the locking bar 110.

The locking bar 110 and the locker 120 are formed at both distal ends ofthe earring body 100′ while facing each other, respectively.

The locker 120 is formed with an insert groove 121, into which thelocking bar 110 can be inserted. The insert groove 121 is provided atthe inside thereof with a locking protrusion 123, which is elasticallylocked with the locking groove 111 of the locking bar 110 by a spring122.

A locking release button 124 for releasing the locking of the lockingprotrusion 123 is positioned adjacent to the locking protrusion 123while protruding out of the locker 120.

The spring 122 includes a compression spring and the locking protrusion123 is adapted to lock with the locking groove 111 of the locking bar110 while performing a straight movement a state in which the lockingprotrusion 123 is elastically supported to the spring 122.

Hereinafter, the operation of the earring 100 having the construction asdescribed above according to an embodiment of the present invention willbe described.

When the locking bar 110 is inserted into the insert groove 121 of thelocker 120 and then moved forward, the locking bar 110 makes contactwith the locking protrusion 123. As the locking bar 110 is further movedforward, the locking bar 110 moves down while overcoming elastic forceof the compression spring 122. At this time, the locking protrusion 123will be locked with the locking groove 111 of the locking bar 110 whilebeing elastically inserted into the locking groove 111.

In order to release the locking of the coupling parts 110 and 120, thelocking release button 124 is pressed first, so that the lockingprotrusion 123 descends downward again while compressing the compressionspring 122.

At this time, the locking protrusion 123 is separated from the lockinggroove 111 of the locking bar 110, so that the coupling parts 110 and120 can be unlocked.

Meanwhile, FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a locking state of anearring according to another exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing an operational state ofthe locking release button shown in FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 is a sectionalview showing the unlocking state of the earring.

As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the earring 200 according to another exemplaryembodiment of the present includes coupling parts 210 and 220, which areprovided at both ends of an earring body 200′, respectively.

In detail, the earring body 200′ is provided at one end thereof with alocking bar 210 having a locking groove 211. In addition, the earringbody 200′ is also provided at the other end thereof with a locker 220,which is selectively locked with the locking bar 210.

The locker 220 is formed with an insert groove 221, into which thelocking bar 210 can be inserted. The insert groove 221 is provided atthe inside thereof with a locking protrusion 223, which is elasticallylocked with the locking groove 211 of the locking bar 210 by a spring222.

A locking release button 224 for releasing the locking of the lockingprotrusion 223 is positioned adjacent to the locking protrusion 223while protruding out of the locker 220.

The spring 222 includes a torsion spring and the locking protrusion 223is rotated in the insert groove 221 about a hinge 223 a and adapted tolock with the locking groove 211 of the locking bar 210, whileperforming a rotational motion in a state in which the lockingprotrusion 223 is elastically supported to the spring 222.

Hereinafter, the operation of the earring 200 having the construction asdescribed above according to another embodiment of the present inventionwill be described.

When the locking bar 210 is inserted into the insert groove 221 of thelocker 220 and then moved forward, the locking bar 210 makes contactwith the locking protrusion 223.

As the locking bar 210 is further moved forward, the locking bar 210moves up while rotating about the hinge 223 a against elastic springforce of the torsion spring 222.

At this time, the locking protrusion 223 is locked with the lockinggroove 211 of the locking bar 210 while being elastically inserted intothe locking groove 211 (see, FIG. 5).

In order to release the locking of the coupling parts 210 and 220, thelocking release button 224 is pressed first, so that the lockingprotrusion 223 moves up while rotating about the hinge 223 a (see, FIG.6) against the elastic force of the torsion spring 222.

At this time, the locking protrusion 223 is separated from the lockinggroove 211 of the locking bar 210, so that the coupling parts 210 and220 can be unlocked (see, FIG. 7).

Although the exemplary embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed, it is understood that the present invention should not belimited to these exemplary embodiments but various changes andmodifications can be made by one ordinary skilled in the art within thespirit and scope of the present invention as hereinafter claimed.

For example, according to the present invention, the locking bar and thestructure of the locker, which is locked with the locking bar, aredescribed as an example for an earring for the purpose of convenience,however, it can be understood that the locking structure can be alsoapplied to a necklace, a bracelet, etc., in addition to the earring.

1. An earring comprising: an earring body; a locking bar provided at oneend of the earring body and formed with a locking groove; and a lockerprovided at the other end of the earring body to be selectively lockedwith the locking bar, wherein the locker is formed with an insert grooveinto which the locking bar is inserted, the insert groove is provided atan inside thereof with a locking protrusion, which is elastically lockedwith the locking groove of the locking bar by a spring, and a lockingrelease button for releasing the locking of the locking protrusion ispositioned adjacent to the locking protrusion while protruding out ofthe locker, wherein the spring includes a torsion spring and the lockingprotrusion is rotated in the insert groove about a hinge, the lockingrelease button is rotated in the insert groove about the hinge and thelocking protrusion is adapted to lock with the locking groove of thelocking bar while performing a rotational motion in a state in which thelocking protrusion is elastically supported by the torsion spring,wherein the locking protrusion is formed at an end of the lockingrelease button, one end of the spring is supported in an inner surfaceof the locking release button, and another end of the spring issupported in an inner surface of the insert groove.
 2. The earringaccording to claim 1, wherein a fixing groove is formed in the innersurface of the locking release button, and one end of the torsion springis inserted in and supported by the fixing groove.